Social Foundation of Sogdian Commercial Diaspora in China

This paper explores the Sogdian communication system, religious, cultural distinctions and adaptations, and the role of women that shaped their commercial interactions along the ancient Silk Road. The Sogdians, a mercantile empire residing in Central Asia between the 2nd and 10th centuries, relied on a well-developed communication system rooted in family kinship ties, religious and cultural distinctions, including Zoroastrianism and unique burial practices, and active engagement of women in this long-lived diaspora.